There is a way the U.S. could play hardball with Canada, if the Liberal government of Prime Minister Mark Carney decides it wants to limit its purchase of F-35s in favour of the Gripen.
Critics who favour the Lockheed-Martin stealth fighter have long argued that the Swedish-built Gripen would not be interoperable with American aircraft and the North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD).
That’s not what you see at the NATO air policing mission in Iceland, where Danish-owned F-35s have been training and operating alongside Swedish JAS-39 Gripens-Cs.
Commanders of both the Swedish and Danish air forces, speaking at the airfield in Keflavik on Tuesday, said the aircraft have been performing well together.
Congratulations on your purchase of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II! Your new stealth strike fighter will enable you to rain death upon your enemies from afar like never before.
WARNING: Any use of your F-35 in conjunction with non-Lockheed branded aircraft or ground support, against unauthorized targets, or with 3rd-party non-authorized fuel or ink cartridges may impair the normal operation of your aircraft. No user-serviceable parts inside. Only authorized dealerships may repair the F-35. Attempts to disassemble the ECU may result in loss of data. Advertised maintenance costs are typical and may differ from your experience.